Page 83 of Return To You

Rose and I both realized at the same time that Piper may have had something to do with it, hoping Gina would rely on her more, and would want to please her in any way possible, including trying to get me with the bitch.

I hired a PI to open an investigation, and we found that CCTV cameras had caught Piper and the guy talking twenty minutes before the incident. Audio was, thankfully, available, giving us the proof Piper paid the fucker, at the café where they met, to attack my sister.

I look to where Piper is standing, her eyes narrowed on my son.

Gina pretended to have begged her to be allowed here today, despite being reassigned to another band on the label, just so my girl and my sister get the pleasure of watching her being dragged out in cuffs.

The cops should be here soon, and then she’ll finally be out of my fucking life.

“We’ve still got a few months left of our break, remember, Joel?” I remind him, making him hum as Piper looks my way, smirking.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her twirl her finger in her newly dyed bright pink hair, before she makes her way toward me.

“The bitch is coming,” Joel murmurs, and I chuckle under my breath. He counts, “Three, two, one,” and Piper is in my space.

“Hey Noah, I’ve missed you, baby,” she coos, trying to be sexy, and a disgusted shudder runs through me.

I take a step away from her and raise a brow, reminding her, “You are aware my girl is here with my son, right, Piper?”

She curls her lip. “And how exactly do you know he’s your son, Noah?Youare aware that she was sleeping with Professor Hail, right?”

I hear gagging from behind me, and I chuckle and lift my arm, but instead of burrowing into my side, Rose steps in front of me, crossing his arms over her chest, and I can’t help my eyes as they linger on her chest that, unfortunately for me, is covered by my black button-down prom shirt.

I really need to hide that thing so she can wear some of my other clothes; she’s already taken the hoodie that I bought last year, so why can’t she wear something newer?

I shake my head to get rid of my stupid thoughts. I know Rose’s using that shirt as a “security blanket,” keeping hold of the love we shared that night, and hiding behind the man she thinks I no longer am.

Soon…she’ll trust me again soon.

“Oh, look, it’s the whore,” Piper sneers, and I growl.

Joel grips my shoulder and whispers, “Let Rose deal with this, Noah; she needs it, and who knows? It may give her the push she needs to trust you again.”

I scoff.As if….

Rose tilts her head as she grips the chain around her neck, the one that I bought her years ago, gently putting her pointerfinger into the engagement ring. Realizing what she’s about to do, both Joel and I snort, coughing to cover it up.

My girl wants to hit her, but it needs to be self-defense.

“Funny, if I’m such a whore, then why do I have not one buttwoengagement rings from the same man?” Piper takes a menacing step forward, her eyes on the ring, and Joel's grip tightens on my shoulder.

I look around the room and see everyone tense, quietly watching the scene unfold, letting Rose do this. Al stands with his arms crossed over his chest, looking proud, while my sister stands by him, holding Diego. Concern for my girl etching her features makes me soften a little toward her.

Unlike with my sister with me, Rose hasn’t spoken much to her brother. We’ve not gone back to Fremont. Rose is still on holiday leave, and he’s been at my house as much as possible, not just to get to know his nephew, but also to get his sister's forgiveness.

He has spoken to me a lot about how much he regrets letting her run out of that café two years ago.

He and Van are still together, and she’s here today, which doesn’t help my girl. They’re both currently participating in counseling, but it’s still not looking good.

Apparently, Van admitted to cheating on him while he was deployed. She claimed to have regretted it instantly, but had found out she was pregnant. She aborted the baby a week before he got home, and then she found out about Rose and me, and apparently, her emotions were all over the place, my pain becoming her focus.

It doesn’t excuse her behavior, though, and it never will. Whether Al will forgive her…well, that remains to be seen.

Once a cheat, always a cheat. Isn’t that what people say?

Who’s to say she hasn’t slept with the guy again since then, or even someone else before he came home?

What’s to say she didn’t just admit that, hoping to divert his attention from a full-blown affair that even my aunt, her own mother, believed she’s had? And who’s to fucking say she’s not trying to prolong their marriage through counseling to gain access to spousal support.

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